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"I love you."
Ned whispers it into the air, not as an offering, not a prayer, but like a secret meant only for Buttons' ears. It is a declaration. A promise. An absolution of the sins that weigh so heavily on his soul, his desire for something more than the life he lives.
"I love you," he repeats, a prayer. A vow. His eyes shine bright in the candlelight, his smile wide and open. He is beautiful. "I'm so glad I found you."
While Buttons considers himself a superstitious man, and there are some who call him mad, even he can't shake the feeling that this is something beyond mere fate, beyond any omen the sea has ever whispered to him. He knows, deep down in the rumblings of his old soul, that this is the start of something big—momentous, inevitable. A shift in the tides that will change the course of their lives forever. Something wonderful. Something... dangerous.
Buttons had found Ned perched on a bench right at the docks in Santa Cruz, plucking out a slow, meandering tune on a battered banjo. A wide-brimmed hat shaded his face, and a poncho draped over his shoulders, disguising him well enough that, at first glance, he could have been mistaken for some weary traveler, resting his bones. But Buttons had seen through it. He had seen the way Ned’s fingers clenched the neck of the banjo just a little too tight, the way his sharp eyes flicked toward Stede Bonnet’s crew, watching them with a hunger that had nothing to do with food or rest.
His quest for revenge had hollowed him out, made him reckless. If Buttons hadn't intervened—if he hadn't stepped into Ned’s path that day, hadn't stopped him with a knowing look and a few well-placed words—Ned would have spilled blood that could never be unspilled all in the name of his legacy.
Buttons had saved him from that. Pulled him back from the brink before he could destroy himself in his hunt for Blackbeard. And yet, even then, he had felt it—the possibility that this man, this desperate and furious man, was meant for him. A lost soul, calling out into the void, searching for something he couldn't name. Buttons had answered.
And now, standing here with him, Buttons knows it wasn’t just a fleeting thought. He feels it now in the air, in the way Ned looks at him with such adoration and desire, the way his words seem to settle over them like a protective barrier, keeping them safe. Keeping their love safe.
He doesn't want to ruin the moment. Not now. Not when everything feels so perfect, so right. But he knows he has to say something. He has to make sure Ned understands what he is getting himself into, what Buttons is. He reaches up and brushes a strand of hair out of Ned's face, cupping his cheek tenderly.
"Ye dinnae have tae do this, ye ken," he murmurs, his voice low and gentle. "I cannae give ye what ye need, no’ the way other men can." Ned shakes his head, a soft, amused smile on his face.
“And what is it that you think I need, Mr. Buttons?"
"A wife. A family. A proper home. I cannae give ye that."
"That's not what I need," Ned assures him. He takes Buttons' hand and kisses his knuckles, his gaze never leaving Buttons' face. "All I need is you."
And Buttons, for the first time in so many years, feels seen.
Not just glimpsed in passing, not just a curiosity to be dismissed with laughter and wary glances, but truly seen. The way the moon sees him when it spills its silver light over the waves, the way the seabirds regard him with their dark, knowing eyes. He feels seen, and in doing so, finds the strength to believe.
He presses a kiss to the inside of Ned's thigh and lets his fangs drop. He doesn’t break skin, just applies enough pressure to show him that he is serious.
"Do ye trust me?" Ned nods, his breath quickening. Buttons can smell his arousal, thick and heady, and it sends a thrill through him. "Good."
Buttons lets his fangs sink deeper into the meat of Ned's thigh and drinks.
The taste of Ned’s blood is like nothing else Buttons has ever experienced. It is rich and sweet, with a hint of spice, and it warms him all the way down to his bones. He feels a rush of pleasure as he swallows and can’t help but moan softly. Ned trembles, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he doesn’t try to pull away. He trusts Buttons completely. And Buttons will not let him down.
Ned’s skin grows colder with every passing second, his blood flowing out of him and into Buttons. He feels like the life is being sucked from his body, and yet, he has never felt more alive.
He is so close to the edge, and he knows that if he comes now, it will be the most intense orgasm of his life. He wants to stay like this forever, caught between pleasure and pain, suspended in time.
And then, just when he thinks he can't take anymore, Buttons pulls away. He can hear Ned's pulse slowing to an infinitesimal crawl, and he knows that, without his blood, Ned will die. Buttons' eyes glimmer with a dark light, and his lips curl into a smirk.
"Ye dinnae have tae do this," he repeats. "Once I turn ye, ye can never go back."
Ned looks at him, his eyes bright with understanding. He reaches out and takes Buttons' hand, lacing their fingers together.
"I'm ready," he says, his voice steady. "I want this. I want you. Forever."
Buttons nods and presses a kiss to his lips before slicing into his own wrist and holding it out to Ned.
"Drink," he commands, and Ned does.
The taste of Buttons' blood is intoxicating, and Ned can't get enough. He drinks greedily, his eyes closed, and Buttons dips a hand between his legs, sliding through his folds and teasing his clit. The dual sensations are overwhelming, and Ned can't help but cry out as he comes.
As the waves of his orgasm begin to subside, Ned feels a strange sensation deep within him. It is like his whole body is being remade, reborn. He is changing, becoming something new, something powerful.
"How do ye feel?" Buttons asks.
Ned opens his eyes. Everything is different now. Colors are sharper, sounds louder, and he can smell things that had never registered before. But, most importantly, he can feel the connection between him and Buttons, their souls linked together by a bond that can never be broken.
"Amazing," he replies, his voice low and raspy. He looks at Buttons and grins, baring his own fangs. "Let's do it again."
They fuck well into the night, until the candles burn low and the sun begins to rise. Ned’s skin is cold and pale, but his heart is full of fire, and his body burns with need. Buttons has never seen anything more beautiful, and he can’t help but fall even more deeply in love with the man he has turned.
As the sun's first rays spill through the window, Buttons kisses Ned once more, sealing their fate. They will be together forever, bound by blood and love. Nothing will ever come between them.
And as the day begins anew, their future seems brighter than ever.